Unit of washing for machine of cleaning of ophthalmic glasses or other substrates

ABSTRACT

A washing unit for machines that clean ophthalmic glass ( 1 ) or other substrates. It includes, on one hand, two washing lines ( 22, 23 ), each able to issue a high-pressure jet of washing liquid in a flared shape of a width substantially equal to or greater than the diameter of the glass to be cleaned, said lines ( 22, 23 ) being parallel and mounted opposite each other on each side of the glass ( 1 ) to be cleaned so that the two streams of liquid ( 30 ) are located at the same level and come into contact on the concave ( 10 ) and convex ( 11 ) surfaces respectively of said glass ( 1 ); and, on the other hand, supports ( 4 ) intended to hold the glass ( 1 ) in a stable position during the washing operation and the means ( 2′ ) to allow movement of said lines ( 22, 23 ) or the glass ( 1 ) in order to perform simultaneous bathing of the concave ( 10 ) and convex ( 11 ) surfaces of the glass by the respective streams of washing liquid ( 30 ).

The object of this invention is to create a washing unit for machinesthat clean ophthalmic glass or other substrates.

Currently, ophthalmic glass is cleaned manually or automatically usingrotating brushes in the form of washing units mounted on the chassis ofa machine that can store a number of glasses to be washed and directthem towards the various washing and drying units using a means oftransport.

However, the passage of the bristles of the brushes over the convex andconcave surfaces of the ophthalmic glass to be cleaned causes manyscratches, in particular when they are in contact with organic glassmade from heat-hardened resins.

The purpose of this invention is to remedy these disadvantages byoffering a washing unit for machines that clean ophthalmic glass,allowing improved productivity in washing such glass and cleaning theirconcave and convex surfaces with greater efficiency and withoutscratching them.

A washing unit for machines that clean ophthalmic glass according tothis invention includes, on one hand, two washing lines, each able toissue a high-pressure jet streams of washing liquid ejected in a flaredshape of a width substantially equal to or greater than the diameter ofthe glass to be cleaned, said lines being parallel and mounted oppositeeach other on each side of the glass to be cleaned so that the two jetstreams of liquid are located at the same level and come into contactwith the concave and convex surfaces of said glass respectively; and, onthe other hand, a means of support intended

to hold the glass in a stable position during the washing operation andalso intended to allow positioning of said jet streams or the glass inorder to perform simultaneous bathing of the concave and convex surfacesof the glass by their respective streams of washing liquid.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the jet of washing liquidcoming from each line shall be obtained as a result of several jets ofliquid forming a flared stream projected by sprayers placed on a singleline and regularly spaced with an interval between the sprayersdelineated in such a manner that the liquid streams overlap on contactwith the glass to obtain a single stream of liquid of a widthsubstantially equal to or greater than the diameter of the glass to becleaned.

The lines shall move simultaneously in rotation or displacement parallelto the glass to be cleaned, and shall be, for example, joinedperpendicular to a vertical pole mounted in rotation around their axis.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, each line shall have ahigh-pressure distribution chamber for the washing liquid and thevertical pole shall have a channel for sending the washing liquid underhigh pressure into said distribution chambers.

The glass shall be maintained horizontally in a fixed washing positionbetween the two lines with the aid of a tightening clamp made up of twocalipers able to be moved away from or closer to each other to hold theglass firmly during washing. The tightening caliper for holding theglass may consist of a lever arm that has, on one of its extremities, aclamp made from a metal plate folded into a U-shape, with a V-shaped

notch placed on the side extremity of each branch of said U to acceptthe edge of the glass 1. The edge of the notches shall be appropriatelycut in a saw-tooth manner in order to improve locking of the edge of theglass in these notches.

The glass will thus be held in a fixed position by the pincers duringthe cleaning operation and the opposing forces exerted simultaneously onthe concave and convex faces of the glass by the two opposing liquidstreams aimed toward it will reinforce the stability of the glass andprevent it from being ejected from the clamp or being broken under theforce of the high-pressure liquid.

The advantages and the characteristics of this invention are moreclearly described below and refer to the attached design, whichrepresents an non-limiting embodiment.

FIG. 1 a represents a profile view of a washing unit for ophthalmicglass according to this invention

FIG. 1 b represents a view of the washing unit from above according tothis invention

FIG. 1 c represents a cross-cut view of the washing unit according tothis invention.

FIG. 2 represents a profile view of a tightening clamp for holding theglass in a washing unit according to this invention

FIG. 3 a represents a lateral view of a clamping handle for grasping theglass by the tightening clamp in the washing unit according to thisinvention.

FIG. 3 b represents a view from below of a clamping handle

FIG. 3 c represents a profile view of a clamping handle

FIG. 3 d represents a detailed view of the contact edge of a V-shapednotch of a clamping handle

On referring to FIGS. 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, one can see that a washing unit forophthalmic glass 1 according to this invention consists of a boom 2comprising a 2′ vertical pole with two horizontal arms, upper 20 andlower 21, facing each other and each supporting respectively a line 22,23 of sprayers projecting high-pressure washing liquid 24 in a flaredshape onto the ophthalmic glass 1 positioned horizontally between thetwo spray lines 22 and 23.

Each line 22, 23 holds a row of sprayers 3 projecting jets ofhigh-pressure liquid (30) in the shape of a flare with the function ofwashing respectively one of the concave 10 or convex 11 surfaces of theglass 1 to be cleaned.

The 2′ vertical pole of the boom 2 of the washing unit is mounted inrotation around its axis in such a way to be able to move the two ramps22, 23 at an angle and simultaneously, within the horizontal planeparallel to that of the glass to be cleaned.

The number and spacing of the sprayers is determined so as to obtain aray of

streams of liquid 30 covering the corresponding concave 10 or convex 11surface of the glass 1, forming a curtain of water resulting from thejuxtaposition of the liquid streams 30, and of a width substantiallyequal to or greater than the diameter of the glass 1 that is located atan appropriate distance from the sprayers 3 as a function of theparameters of pressure and speed from the liquid streams 30.

Thus, the cleaning of the concave 10 and convex 11 surfaces of glass 1is done by angular movement of lines 22, 23, moving in rotation aroundthe axis of the vertical pole 2 and having the effect of simultaneouslymoving the two opposite curtains 31 of streams of washing liquid 30 andbathing the entire surface of the two respective concave 10 and convex11 surfaces of the glass 1.

Tests have shown that to eliminate all contamination on the surface ofophthalmic glass, the washing liquid projected at the exit of eachsprayer 3 must hit the surface of the glass at a pressure of 8 to 30bars and a speed on the order of 200 km/hr, requiring a high outflow of30 to 50 L/minute.

The glass 1 is maintained in a fixed horizontal position for washingbetween the two lines 22, 23, with the aid of a tightening clamp 4,which can be seen on FIG. 2, comprising two calipers 40, which can bemoved closer to hold the glass 1 firmly on its peripheral edge 12 duringthe washing.

A tightening caliper 40 for the glass 1 is comprised of a lever arm 41having a clamp 42 at one end and a foot 43 at the other end that can bemounted in rotation around an axis 44 and articulated by gears to thefoot 43 of the other arm 41 in order to allow pivoting of the two arms41, one in relation to the other, to push away the clamps 42 or bringthem closer for holding the glass 1 no matter what its diameter. Theclamps 42 can be regulated at an angle by being mounted so that theypivot around a 42′ axis, allowing adaptation of the tightening of theglass 1 according to its diameter.

FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d show that a clamp 42 is made of a metalplate 45 folded in a U-shape and a V-shaped notch 46 is made at the endof each branch 47 of the U to

receive the peripheral edge 12 of the glass 1. FIG. 3 a shows that theedge of the brackets 46 is cut in a saw-tooth manner 48 in order tostrengthen the locking of the edge of the glass 1 in the notches 46.

The opposing forces created by the contact of the two streams of liquidfrom opposite directions on the two surfaces, concave and convex, of theophthalmic glass, according to this invention, provide reinforcement ofthe stability of the glass through a balance of forces and avoid theglass being ejected from the tightening clamp holding it or being brokenby the pressure and high speed of the washing jets.

1) A washing unit for machines that clean ophthalmic glass (1) or othersubstrates is characterized in that it includes, on one hand, twowashing lines (22,23), each able to issue a high-pressure jet of washingliquid (30) in a flared shape of a width substantially equal to orgreater than the diameter of the glass to be cleaned, said lines (22,23) being parallel and mounted opposite each other on each side of theglass (1) to be cleaned so that the two streams of liquid (30) arelocated at the same level and come into contact on the concave (10) andconvex (11) surfaces respectively of said glass (1), and, on the otherhand, supports (4) intended to hold the glass in a stable positionduring the washing operation and the means (2′) to allow movement ofsaid lines (22, 23) or the glass (1) in order to perform simultaneousbathing of the concave (10) and convex (11) surfaces of the glass (1) bythe respective streams of washing liquid (30). 2) Washing unit accordingto claim 1, characterized in that the jet of washing liquid (30) comingfrom each line (22, 23) is obtained from the result of several jets ofliquid (30′) forming a flared stream projected by the sprayers (3)placed on a single line and regularly spaced with an interval betweenthe sprayers determined so that the liquid streams (30′) overlap oncontact with the glass (1) to obtain a single stream of liquid (30) of awidth substantially equal to or greater than the diameter of the concave(10) or convex (1) surface of the glass (1) to be cleaned. 3) Washingunit according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized by the lines (22, 23)being simultaneously mobile in rotation or in a straight line parallelto the glass (1) to be cleaned. 4) Washing unit according to claim 3characterized by each line (22, 23) being joined perpendicular to avertical pole (2′) mounted in rotation around their axis. 5) Washingunit according to claim 4 in which each line (22, 23) has ahigh-pressure distribution chamber (24) for washing liquid and thevertical pole (2′) shall have a channel (25) for sending the washingliquid under high pressure into said distribution chambers (24). 6)Washing unit according to any of the above claims characterized by theglass (1) being maintained horizontally in a fixed washing positionbetween the two lines (22, 23) with the aid of a tightening clamp (4)made up of two calipers (40) which can be moved away from or closer toeach other to hold the glass (1) firmly during washing. 7) Washing unitaccording to claim 6 characterized by the tightening caliper (40) on theglass (1) being comprised of a lever arm (41) that has, on one of itsextremities, a clamp (42) made from a metal plate (45) folded into aU-shape, with a V-shaped notch (46 placed on the side extremity of eachbranch of the U to hold the edge of said glass (1). 8) Washing unitaccording to claim 7 characterized by the lever arm (41) of a caliper(40) having a foot (43) at the other end that can be mounted in rotationaround an axis (44) and jointed to the foot (43) of the other arm (41)in order to allow pivoting of the two arms (41), one in relation to theother, to push away the clamps (42) or bring them closer together. 9)Washing unit according to claim 7 or claim 8 characterized by the edgeof the notches (46) being cut in a saw-tooth manner in order toreinforce locking of the edge of the glass (1) in the said notches (46).